LAST UPDATE | 23 Jun 2023

RORY MCILROY’S COLD putter led him to miss out on winning last week’s US Open, but the flat stick caught fire to catapult him into contention on day two of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.

McIlroy carded a six-under 64 to move to eight under for the tournament. In a tie for 10th place, he trails leaders Denny McCarthy and Keegan Bradley by seven shots. McCarthy’s followed yesterday’s stunning round of 60 with a still-impressive 65, while Bradley bowed ostentatiously to his putter each time he handed to his caddy as he caught absurd form on the greens, birdieing five straight holes on the back nine for a round of 63.

McIlroy endured a fitful 68 yesterday, a round adorned on the eighth hole with his first ever hole-in-one on the PGA Tour. Today’s round was outstanding, as he didn’t miss a single putt inside 15 feet. 

Starting on the 10th hole, McIlroy hit his groove from the 14th, where he birdied six of his next eight holes to fly up the leaderboard. His only errant note ironically came on the eighth hole, scene of yesterday’s ace. This time McIlroy’s eight-iron went left and into the water, leaving him looking with shock at caddie Harry Diamond. He ultimately took a double bogey to push him back to minus-eight, and he scrambled for a par on the final hole after his tee shot went right and was given a free relief as his ball was deemed unplayable. 

“I wasn’t as erratic, I made a lot of sloppy mistakes yesterday and I played a little better today”, said McIlroy after his round. “I made a hole in one yesterday and made double today: I may as well have made two threes. But I played a good round of golf to get myself in the tournament. I arrived in late on Wednesday and played a quick nine holes, I felt like yesterday was like my practice round.”

Shane Lowry couldn’t match the pace of his opening-day 64 in his second round, his one-under 69 seeing him drop to a tie for 22nd spot, eight shots off the leaders. Teeing off ont he 10th, Lowry birdied the 11th and then lost the shot with a bogey on 14. He instantly got it back with a birdie on 15, only to bogey 17. A birdie on the fifth got him back to under-par for his round.  

Elsewhere in the early wave, Seamus Power carded a two-under 68 to move to three-under for the tournament which wasn’t enough for him to make a high cut line of four-under. Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm also missed the cut, with Rahm struggling to a one-over 71 in his second round. 

Justin Thomas finally found some form after weeks in the doldrums, signing for a nine-birdie 64. Scottie Scheffler endured another tough day on the greens, shooting an even-par 70 to lie T22. 

Follow the leaderboard here. 

Updated with conclusion of second round at 23.32

Written by Gavin Cooney and posted on the42.ie